


home is wherever i'm with you

by towokuwusatsuwu



Series: Pride 2018: 30 Days of S.W.O.R.D. [16]
Category: HiGH&LOW: the Story of S.W.O.R.D. (TV)
Genre: Agender Character, Amusement Parks, Cotton Candy Fluff, Established Relationship, Ferris Wheels, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Multi, Polyamory, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-20
Updated: 2018-06-20
Packaged: 2019-05-26 00:01:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14988377
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/towokuwusatsuwu/pseuds/towokuwusatsuwu
Summary: “Anything you want to do?” he asks, swinging Smokey’s arm a little to get his attention.“Hmm?” Smokey looks over at him, cracking open his eyes just a little; he’d had his head tilted back, letting the sunlight kiss his skin. “Me? No, we can do whatever you want to do.”“Kain?” Shion tilts his head, takes in the way the sunlight makes the vibrant blue dye in Kain’s hair all the more blinding than it already is.“I’m fine with just this for now.” Kain squeezes his hand to illustrate their point and Shion grins, squeezing back just as hard. “Walking around, getting a feel for everything. The others can have their fun until we decide what we want to do.”





	home is wherever i'm with you

Staying together is a fantasy; it’s not often they get a chance like this one and Shion doubts Smokey’s advice about the six of them staying together was ever going to last more than the first five minutes anyway. Yu and Pi are energetic even before they step through the gates and the two of them only look at each, considering, before Pi takes Yu by the hand and the two of them dart off through the crowd, impossible to keep up with.

“Damn it.” Takeshi rubs a hand over his face, half-twists to look at them. “I’m going with them.”

“Probably for the best,” Smokey agrees.

Shion smiles small and privately at the sight of Takeshi taking off through the crowd after them, calling out their names though from the looks of it, neither of them turn around to look at him. Making him chase them, then; it’s about what Takeshi has to put up with these days with those two, but at least all three of them are happy. All  _ six _ of them are happy; Shion is pretty content to walk between Smokey and Kain, holding both of their hands even though people stop and stare a few times, obviously put off by this display of affection.

The Nameless Street is, in its own way, an amusement park. The stripped structures provide them with an excellent playing ground and there is a reason no one can fight them on their home turf without being at a major disadvantage. But this is a real amusement park, something more to amuse Pi and Yu than anything else; Shion is happy wherever his people are, and Smokey is happy as long as everyone else is happy.

“Anything you want to do?” he asks, swinging Smokey’s arm a little to get his attention.

“Hmm?” Smokey looks over at him, cracking open his eyes just a little; he’d had his head tilted back, letting the sunlight kiss his skin. “Me? No, we can do whatever you want to do.”

“Kain?” Shion tilts his head, takes in the way the sunlight makes the vibrant blue dye in Kain’s hair all the more blinding than it already is.

“I’m fine with just this for now.” Kain squeezes his hand to illustrate their point and Shion grins, squeezing back just as hard. “Walking around, getting a feel for everything. The others can have their fun until we decide what we want to do.”

The idea is as good as any. Shion keeps the tightest hold on Smokey, aware of just how easy it is to be lost in a crowd, that someone could separate their hands if they don’t cling to each other tight enough. Not that anyone could ever divide the two of them; Shion has spent the better part of the last few years dedicating himself to Smokey as much as possible, desperate to care for him, to love him, to give him everything he needs to be happy and whole. That means sometimes taking odd jobs just to make sure Smokey can afford his medicine, but it’s worth it.

“Wait.” Smokey gives Shion’s hand a tug and Shion stops, squeezing Kain’s hand so they know to stop as well. “Cotton candy. I think we should get some.”

Kain makes a noise of agreement, crowding in close to Shion’s shoulder. “I like that idea.”

They find a bench to sit together, their thighs pressed up against one another, shoulders knocking gently with each movement. Smokey winds the long pink spun sugar around his fingers before licking it off, a small smile touching his lips. Kain picks smaller pieces off of theirs, a softer blue than their hair, but it matches in a way. Shion just pulls the yellow floss off with his lips and teeth, letting it get sticky around his mouth. He doesn’t mind so much.

“Kain.” Smokey leans around him, holding a bite of pink out, a glint in his dark eyes. “This matches your favorite sweater. You should have a taste and see if you like it.”

Instead of taking it from Smokey, Kain leans forward, wetting their lips just a bit before sucking the cotton candy off of Smokey’s fingers, licking the sticky sugar away. Shion chokes a little, the melted sugar on his tongue not even close to the sweetness between the two people flanking him. Smokey giggles, a small flush touching his cheeks, one brought on by something gentle instead of something painful, and it’s a truly beautiful sight.

“It’s good.” Kain licks their lips again, then smacks a kiss against Shion’s cheek. “Since you’re so intent on wearing your own, you can wear some of mine as well.”

Shion’s face heats up at the kiss but he just turns to steal a proper kiss, tasting the sweetness on Kain’s lips, on their tongue. “Sorry. Wanted a proper taste of it as well.”

Every now and then, Shion thinks he catches a glance of the other three, but it’s never more than a flash. It isn’t until the line for the ferris wheel that they catch up with their other halves. Takeshi and Pi are side by side, chatting softly, while Yu is perched up on Takeshi’s back, his legs wrapped around Takeshi’s waist. Experience has proven Yu hardly has to do more than bat his eyelashes and say please before Takeshi bends and breaks for him.

“Don’t you two look cozy,” Smokey says when they walk up to them.

“There you three are! We were just wondering where you’d gotten off to.” Pi throws his arms around Smokey’s shoulders, presses a kiss to his cheek, his lips, the side of his neck. Anything his lips can touch, it seems. “What do I taste? Is that cotton candy?”

“We had some,” Kain confirms.

“We ate a bit after the second roller coaster, though I thought for sure Takeshi was going to throw up on the fourth one.” Pi giggles when Takeshi shoots him a dirty look, shifting Yu’s legs a bit around his waist. “We promised him a gentle ride this time.”

If not for Yu on his back, Shion has no doubt Takeshi would have thrown himself at Pi and tried to take him down for such a comment. But Yu grips Takeshi’s shoulders tightly and laughs, head thrown back in the sunlight, and Takeshi can only scowl at Pi and mutter something that sounds vaguely threatening in his direction. Shion shakes his head, not that he would change anything in the world for them, but watching their antics is always something else.

The cars seat two people, so the six of them have to split into three couples. Yu and Pi throw themselves into one of the cars before anyone can stop them, Yu climbing on top of Pi as soon as he gets a chance, not that Pi looks like he minds. Kain slips around behind Shion and Smokey without Shion noticing, taking Takeshi by the arm and leading him into another car before Shion can make a concrete decision about who he wants to spend alone time with. Though Shion opens his mouth to say something, Kain winks at him and nods toward Smokey, then climbs in after Takeshi to sit down.

“What a generous person our Kain is,” Smokey says softly, squeezing Shion’s hand a little tighter, his lips pulling back over his teeth, a rare and carefree grin.

Shion nods, nudging Smokey toward the next car. “That they are. After you, Smokey.”

There isn’t anything particularly special about this ferris wheel, but the allure is always the same, the small and confined space, the stretch of the park and the city beyond stretched out around them. The sky is starting to darken toward sunset now, giving everything a softer golden glow than the harsh glare of sunlight that’s been beating down on them all day. Smokey scoots closer to one of the windows, peering out, and Shion watches him.

How long had Shion been in love with Smokey? Putting an exact amount of time on it is difficult because he can’t remember when it started. Smokey took him into the Nameless Street and gave him a home when he had nowhere else to go, when a slipped confession to his parents resulted in him being forced out of his own home with only the clothes on his back. Warm and friendly, gentle and caring, expending what little energy he has to take care of everyone who calls themself a Rudeboy, Smokey is the epitome of what Shion would consider perfection.

How could he do anything but love Smokey with the entirety of his heart?

“Have you been having a good day?” Smokey asks, turning to face him. The light illuminating his face through the windows makes it appear as though he’s glowing, which is true anyway.

“Of course I have. I get to be with all of you, so that’s a good day for me.” Shion stretches out a leg, knocks his ankle gently against Smokey’s. “You been having a good day, too?”

Smokey’s smile is beatific. “My best in a long, long time.”

The words make Shion’s heart beat a little faster and he dares to shift closer, moving from his side of the carriage to Smokey’s. The two of them are a little underfed, a little on the scrawny side, so they can share the space without it being crowded and Smokey reaches for Shion’s hand, twines their fingers together once more. It’s something Shion could get used to experiencing for the rest of his life, Smokey’s hand in his, the way their fingers fit together, palms pressed flat together like this.

“People usually kiss when they’re up here, don’t they?” Smokey muses, turning to look out the window again, tracing a smudge on the glass with one finger. “Is that what you want? To kiss me up here overlooking everything else?”

“Maybe that’s what I want more than anything.” Shion wets his lips, suddenly nervous even though he knows he doesn’t have to be nervous anymore.

Smokey kisses him, leaning into him, closing the distance between them without another word, and Shion almost isn’t ready for it. Though Smokey’s lips are chapped and a bit dry, they’re still sweet from the cotton candy, traces of sugar here and there. Shion pulls Smokey against him, an arm around his fragile waist, the other cradling his face. There is no one Shion has never loved more in his life than this man, the way Smokey feels in his arms, the way he touches Shion so carefully while they kiss, the fact he bleeds for everyone he loves without thought.

“I love you,” Shion tells him, and he flushes at his own words, ducking his head. “I— I mean—”

“I know you do. There’s no reason to be shy about it anymore. You told me a long time ago.” Smokey tips his head up by the chin, and he’s smiling, laughter dancing in his beautiful dark eyes. “You don’t have to hide from me. I’ve seen every part of you, remember? And I love you.”

Shion laughs and kisses Smokey again, and if his eyes prick with tears, then so be it. He’s  _ happy _ up here away from the rest of the world, with Smokey all to himself for just a moment, Smokey and the sweetness of everything between them. He loves all of his partners but he likes having these moments of just Smokey, of remembering how far the two of them have come, how hard Shion fought for this very moment, this sensation. That it spawned so much more love in the end is just another blessing.

When they step off of the ferris wheel, they rejoin the four waiting for him, enfolded into the little group. If people stare, so be it. Shion holds Smokey’s hand tighter and swings their arms back and forth, feeling like he’s still floating above the ground, his lips tingling from the sweet pressure of Smokey’s lips against his own.


End file.
